EAST 56 ROAD WORK TO BEGIN MONDAY

Road work to prepare for the Wal-Mart Super Center project is going to get underway this coming Monday on Salem’s Eastside as the City of Salem begins moving Water and Sewer lines out of the INDOT right of way.

The pre-Thanksgiving work will be focused on two locations spots – Near Parkview Drive and Jim Day Road, according to Mark Sullivan, Project Manager with Midwestern Engineering, the city’s contracted engineer on the project.

Road delays will begin Monday on State Road 56 East with work just west of Jim Day Road.Work on Tuesday will focus on this area across from Florence’s Flowers just west of Parkview Drive. The City of Salem will begin working to move Water and Sewer lines.In Spring 2015, the Indiana Department of Transportation will begin reconstruction of State Road 56 from High Street east of Salem past Heritage Chapel Road.Midwestern Natural Gas has begun work to move natural gas lines along State Road 56.The third area where water and sewer lines will be moved is Anson Street. There will be 10 other locations along the street that is expected to be completed by April 2015.

Sullivan said the work on Monday, Nov. 24 will be centered on an area west of Jim Day Road.

“Tuesday, they will be working just west of Parkview Drive,” said Sullivan.

He said a third area near Anson Street would be postponed and next Wednesday would be left open in case work on the other two areas needed to be completed before Thanksgiving.

Sullivan will be providing weekly updates to WSLM RADIO on the project so we can keep you informed on where the work will be focused on each day of the week until this project is completed next spring.

“INDOT is the driving factor in doing the project. Their road widening project that will start next spring,” said Sullivan. “Water, sewer, natural gas…any utilities in the way are being moved back out of the way. INDOT has bought a wider right of way. Each utility is doing the contract to move the items…Temple and Temple is being hired by the City of Salem….Salem is paying a percentage…a small percentage…INDOT is paying a larger part of that.”

Sullivan said State Road 56 will be open to local traffic until works crosses traffic. “There will be detours for traffic needing to get around the work areas but local traffic could get to and from their destination as long as the road isn’t fully closed.”

“At that point where the work goes across the traffic, the road would be closed,” said Sullivan. “If they’re coming from the east and the pipe is between them and the house or business, there will be a point when the road is fully closed. We only anticipate the road being closed for a few hours in each case and work on each section is anticipated to be completed in a day.”

Jason Uhl of Temple and Temple is the local construction manager of the project.

Harry Maginity spokesperson for the Seymour District of the INDOT told WSLM earlier this week the state’s project would widen State Road 56 from High Street to east of Heritage Chapel Road.

The reconstruction project will be open to take bids in December and work to begin in Spring 2015.

The Salem portion of this Seymour District pavement project is a complete reconstruction of the highway—including new sidewalks, curb ramps, retaining walls and storm sewer system. The rural Washington County scope of this construction calls for repairing and resurfacing S.R. 56—including shoulder widening, building passing blisters and replacement of a small drainage structure.